Pages

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Boating licenses are evidence of the encroachment of the nanny state and the decline of conservatism? So says Adam Daifallah.

But where conservatism is definitely losing the battle and has for many years without any sign of push back is on what I would call the "nanny state" issues -- the gradual encroachment of state involvement into more and more areas of our lives through regulation. Smoking by-laws, banning this and that behaviour, boating licenses, gun registration, etc... are all rampant and there's no sign of it slowing down.

Monday, February 23, 2009

It's time for the third annual tracking of my Roll Up the Rim statistics. I'll update this post as my consumption totals rise up.

As always, I record three statistics.

The first number represents the number of 'Wins'. I will update the post to indicate what I've won and what size of beverage.

The second number represents the number of 'Please Play Agains'.

The third number represents the number of times I did not receive a Roll Up cup. This usually happens twice or three times in the middle of the campaign, as opposed to the trailing end when cups begin to be snatched up.

3 - 59 - 0

Last updated: April 9, 2009.

Update, February 24: Free doughnut; large coffee.Update, March 6: Free coffee; extra large coffee.Update, March 11: Free coffee; large coffee.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says language used this week by [Senator Mike Duffy], whom he recently appointed to the Red Chamber, was "perhaps inappropriate."

...

In his maiden speech to the Senate on Feb. 3, Duffy said P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz may get the "shaft" by getting in bed with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams. Ghiz and Williams have been protesting a cap on equalization payment increases in the federal budget during a period of economic downturn.

Before the Red Chamber, Duffy described the pairing as a "grotesque scene" in which Williams, the premier of a wealthier province, would likely "come out on top."

Monday, February 02, 2009

I'm not going to comment on the specifics of the budget, but I will say that the only people specifically enraged by the thought of passing the budget are those of the Defeat Stephen Harper At All Costs group. It doesn't matter that the last time Stephen Harper Was Defeated At All Costs, not one of the Opposition parties had a more appealing message for Canadians -- Liberals included.

To those who argue that by abandoning the Coalition, that Michael Ignatieff has given up any chance of defeating the government in the future, I would disagree.

The last I checked, the Bloc and the NDP lack the necessary numbers to bring down the Conservative government on their own. And, as charter members of the Defeat Stephen Harper At All Costs, their only recourse in not joining the Liberals in bringing down the government on a future measure is what?

The NDP and the Bloc have vilified abstentions and vilified supporting the government, so I don't see how they cannot support bringing down the government on a future confidence matter introduced by a Liberal motion or vote.

Clearly the Opposition must deal with the Liberal Party to defeat the Conservatives. That's the way it should be.

Canadians have chosen a Conservative government -- twice. At some point, we have to live with it and choose our battles accordingly. If we go back to them every three months saying, "No, you're wrong," we may not like the answer they come back with.